1. If I joined the Army as an Officer would it be possible to join a unit, after Sandhurst of course, with an Airborne role eg. 7 Para (RHA)?

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Yes you would be able to join an airborne unit directly from Sandhurst. It all depends though, of course, on vacancies and whether you are deemed suitable enough for the position (assessed by the RMAS Directing Staff of the unit you're looking to join - RA for example).

jrvdr said:

2. I'm unsure if I'd enjoy the Army. Has anyone got any ideas on what I could do?

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As already pointed out above, the Army website at www.army.mod.uk is a wonderful source of EVERYTHING about the Army. If you can't find the information you need there then it's not worth knowing quite frankly. Failing that you can always pop into your local AFCO and speak to the Col there that deals with Offr recruiting.

jrvdr said:

3. When all training etc. is completed is it just like a normal job and you can go home or finish at 5.30?

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OK - the simple answer here is yes, on most occasions you will normally do a normal days work. However you must understand that you will have exercises and operations that may require that you work 24 hours a day 7 days a week if necessary. The needs of the Army will always come before your own and the Army pay you 24 hours a day so that they can make you work that if necessary.

can i recommend a career in the Adjutant General's Corps? you will be done by half four every day, get an hour and a half for lunch, and can shut the pay office on any afternoon when you would rather play golf. it is also one of the few jobs where you can earn a bit of extra money on the side - see below

Defence personnel are alleged to have stolen millions of pounds by paying expenses and wages to hundreds of "ghost soldiers", it has emerged.
The Ministry of Defence is investigating the scam in which at least Â£2.5 million was reportedly siphoned off.

The Mail on Sunday said the probe centred on the army's Adjutant General's Office in Britain which handles pay and expenses for tens of thousands of personnel.

It reported that the scam has been going on for several years and was uncovered in January after relatively low-paid soldiers were found to be spending huge sums on fast cars, lavish holidays and expensive homes.

British servicemen and women in the UK and others stationed in Brunei were said to be involved.

The alleged fraud was believed to involve payments to at least 650 imaginary troops, enough to form an entire regiment.

Defence sources told the newspaper that a large number of suspects have been interviewed and hundreds of witnesses could be called at a court martial.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that an investigation is being conducted by RMP Special Investigation Branch into an alleged fraud."

Tory Homeland Security spokesman Patrick Mercer, a former infantry commander, called for Defence Secretary John Reid to take action.

He said: "This sort of thing is immensely damaging to morale on the front line. While fighting soldiers are risking their necks every day, this type of scandal among the chaps they call the base-rats is exactly the sort of thing that erodes fighting spirit. Mr Reid must get a grip on this disgraceful situation at once."

Am I the only one that hears a lot of cr@p about working very hard then struggles to find people at work before 1000 on Mondays, on Wed Sports Afternoons and After lunch on Friday?

Sure there are a lot of people on tour, trg for Ops etc but I don't think "jrdvr" is that stupid to think that the war still stops for high tea. It just irritates me that this chap(ess) has asked a genuine question and gets pounced on by a bunch of people who most probably use the excuse "Well I could be called to war at any time - including weekends" ... to justify an early knockoff so they can go back to the Mess for their daily w@nkathon.

Am I the only one that hears a lot of cr@p about working very hard then struggles to find people at work before 1000 on Mondays, on Wed Sports Afternoons and After lunch on Friday?

Sure there are a lot of people on tour, trg for Ops etc but I don't think "jrdvr" is that stupid to think that the war still stops for high tea. It just irritates me that this chap(ess) has asked a genuine question and gets pounced on by a bunch of people who most probably use the excuse "Well I could be called to war at any time - including weekends" ... to justify an early knockoff so they can go back to the Mess for their daily w@nkathon.

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obviously never been amongst A mechs in the REME have u? stick to your laptop young man, and sorting out adventure training, or do they leave that to the grads?

obviously never been amongst A mechs in the REME have u? stick to your laptop young man, and sorting out adventure training, or do they leave that to the grads?

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Don't give that "I'm more busy than you" rubbish. Its exactly the sort of thing that people use as an excuse to swan off early on a Friday then point fingers at others that do the same. I have lots of respect for the REME and have spent enough time with other arms/services to know there are very few trades that stand out as more worked than others, so I'm not going to play the capbadge game.

My point has been made so I'd be interested in you expanding your arguement rather than dribbling vaugue attempts at a patronising insult.

So if we're paying an entire infantry battalion's worth of imaginary soldiers, and that's now going to be stopped...does that mean we can now raise a real infantry battalion with the money saved?

Oh. Wait. New Labour. Does it f*ck.

smithie

CRmeansCeilingReached said:

MoD probes Â£2.5m army pay scam
10:40am 16th October 2005

Defence personnel are alleged to have stolen millions of pounds by paying expenses and wages to hundreds of "ghost soldiers", it has emerged.
The Ministry of Defence is investigating the scam in which at least Â£2.5 million was reportedly siphoned off.

The Mail on Sunday said the probe centred on the army's Adjutant General's Office in Britain which handles pay and expenses for tens of thousands of personnel.

It reported that the scam has been going on for several years and was uncovered in January after relatively low-paid soldiers were found to be spending huge sums on fast cars, lavish holidays and expensive homes.

British servicemen and women in the UK and others stationed in Brunei were said to be involved.

The alleged fraud was believed to involve payments to at least 650 imaginary troops, enough to form an entire regiment.

Defence sources told the newspaper that a large number of suspects have been interviewed and hundreds of witnesses could be called at a court martial.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that an investigation is being conducted by RMP Special Investigation Branch into an alleged fraud."

Tory Homeland Security spokesman Patrick Mercer, a former infantry commander, called for Defence Secretary John Reid to take action.

He said: "This sort of thing is immensely damaging to morale on the front line. While fighting soldiers are risking their necks every day, this type of scandal among the chaps they call the base-rats is exactly the sort of thing that erodes fighting spirit. Mr Reid must get a grip on this disgraceful situation at once."